By: Felix Ikpotor
A group of Ogoni intellectuals and technocrats known as Ogoni Beyond Oil and Politics (BOP-Ogoni) has charged multinational oil companies operating in the area and those seeking operational license to mine oil in the area to partner the newly established Federal University of Environment Technology (FUET), Koroma/Saakpenwa on capacity training for Ogonis.
The group gave the charge during an advocacy visit to the Vice Chancellor of FUET, Professor Chinedu Mmon.
Convener of the group, HRH, Kadilo Kabari who spoke on behalf of the group said the call became necessary following the ongoing discussion for oil resumption in Ogoniland.
He said it is necessary for the companies that want to explore oil in Ogoniland to take advantage of the presence of the university to begin training of Ogonis in skill areas and courses relevant to their operations.
Kadilo who is also the paramount ruler of Barako Community in Gokana Local Government Area of the state, emphasized that the call was inline with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) which provides for training of local content by operators.
The monarch commended the Federal Government for establishing the university as part of the confidence building measures towards oil resumption in Ogoniland.
He said: “The federal government, particularly under His Excellency President Bola Tinubu, has shown a lot of restitution, a lot of commitment to addressing the issues that affected the Ogonis. A whole lot of confidence-building measures, the greatest of which is establishing this university. It is not what only government can do.
”The charge to companies or investors is that you don’t reap where you did not sow. The Petroleum Industry Act makes it mandatory to build human capacity in areas where you want to operate. This university offers an opportunity for such investment in our people. It should be grabbed, it should be maximized”.
The group also advocated for strategic enrollment of Ogonis into relevant courses in the university so as to prepare them to play major roles in the oil and gas sector when exploration resumes. Kabari highlights that the university has secured accreditation for many courses relevant to the future of Ogoniland such as Geology, IT, Engineering, Environmental Sciences which offer “opportunities of tomorrow.”
He expressed concern that Ogoni youths are not applying for these crucial courses, instead opting for fields like political science, which are not directly applicable to industries like oil rigs or environmental concerns in the area.
While congrutating the vice chancellor for holding its record breaking Matriculation/Founder’s Day Ceremony exactly one year after it’s establishment, the group expresed the hope that in the next four years, the human capacity development ratio in Ogoniland would have trippled.
”The primary purpose of the visit is to congratulate Professor Chinedu Mmon and the university’s management for the record-breaking achievement of conducting a Founders Day and matriculating over a thousand students within a year of the bill being signed into law. The significance of this achievement for Ogoni Beyond Oil and Politics is the assurance of human capital development, with a large number of Ogoni youth expected to graduate in the next five years, ” he added.
Kabari assured the VC of the group’s readiness to partner with the management of the univrsity in areas of advocacy and any other support necessary.
In his speech, the Lead Person, Moving Ogoni Forward, Engr Baridakara Gbarato said the the group is ready to collaborate with the university in training of human capacity in Ogoniland.
”So we have decided to collaborate, first for an advocacy, to ensure that our people understand the benefit of this university, and then secondly, to ensure that this university collaborate with sister agencies and develop better human resources, not just for the Ogoni people but for Nigeria as a country, and then to ensure that our people are aware,” Gbarato said.
Vice Chancellor of the school, Professor Chinedu Mmon expressed deeply pleasure in receiving the group, noting a shared vision of moving Ogoni forward beyond reliance on oil and politics.
He exphasized that the future of Ogoni lies in building manpower and not solely on oil and politics, stressing, “Ogoni needs to move beyond mere survival”.
The VC lauded the wisdom of the Ogonis in demanding for a university in the ongoing dialogue with the Federal Government, saying it was a forward-looking decision, recognizing its importance for transformation and sustainable development.
Mmon used the occasion to announced ongoing collaboration with a foreign organisation to invest in Waste to Energy in the school aa part of his plans to develop the institution.
The VC called for support from all Ogonis noting that the economic impact of the presence of the university would soon trickle down to all aspects of the area.
The Vice-Chancellor emphasized that the university is a catalyst for development, attracting resources and boosting the local economy through increased property values and the emergence of supporting businesses.
”The university acts as a “propulsive industry” attracting resources and people from within and outside Ogoni. A mini-market has emerged, offering goods similar to those found in larger cities, property values have significantly increased, boosting the local economy and leading to more property development and trickling down effects.
” The university’s presence will lead to the development of other social infrastructure, ” he added.
